Aposense Cancer Drug Demonstrates 100% Oral Bioavailability in New Study

PETACH-TIKVA, ISRAEL--(Marketwire - Sep 6, 2011) - Aposense Ltd. (TELAVIV: APOS), a world leader in developing diagnostic and therapeutic drugs based on in vivo targeting of apoptosis (programmed cell death), announced today that ATT-11T, a novel chemotherapy-based cancer drug the company is developing demonstrated 100% oral bioavailability in a pre-clinical mouse study. Bioavailability is a measure of the amount of a drug that reaches blood circulation following administration. ATT-11T contains SN-38, the active ingredient in the marketed drug irinotecan, which is administered intravenously.

"The full oral bioavailability demonstrated by ATT-11T in animals and the impressive results in pre-clinical efficacy and pharmacokinetic studies demonstrate the potential of this compound and position it favorably for further development," said Yoram Ashery, CEO of Aposense. "Irinotecan (a prodrug of the topoisomerase I inhibitor, SN-38) is a highly potent chemotherapy against solid tumors but its use is limited due to serious adverse reactions. The potential for oral administration, combined with improved efficacy and prolonged pharmacokinetics, may help overcome these limitations."

ATT-11T has been shown in previous animal trials to inhibit and regress tumor growth, and to extend the active drug's blood half-life more than five fold. Animal studies have indicated that ATT-11T is superior to irinotecan in treating various solid tumors.

In addition to its oncology portfolio, Aposense is collaborating with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Roche who are using the company's EarliTest™ for molecular imaging in clinical trials in which the efficacy of new oncological treatments will be tested. In return, Aposense has the right to access and use the resulting imaging data. These clinical trials will be fully funded by GSK and Roche.

About Aposense

Aposense (TELAVIV: APOS) is a leader in translating apoptosis (programmed cell death) to molecular based diagnosis and therapy. Apoptosis is a biological process involved in most medical disorders, including in oncology, neurology and cardiology areas. Aposense novel agents leverage its platform technology of rationally-designed small molecules for targeting cells undergoing apoptosis. Aposense's molecular imaging business features clinical and pre-clinical solutions for in vivo imaging of apoptosis, including ML-10, for apoptosis imaging with PET, which is in multi-center phase 2 trials, and the EarliTest™ image analysis system. Aposense's global distribution and co-marketing partner for ML-10 is IBA, the world's largest PET radio-pharmacy network. In the therapeutic area, Aposense is working in partnership with Teva Pharmaceuticals in co-development of novel targeted agents utilizing generic chemotherapies and expects enter to other therapeutic areas in 2011. Aposense is chaired by Mr. Eli Hurvitz, formerly Chairman and CEO of Teva Pharmaceuticals.